I am super excited to see the government's new Family Hub coming to Kingston Borough at the Malden Manor School.
Ive written to the Family Hub lead Sarah Alexander to get a tour ahead of builders coming in to get it ready for September.
And it all comes as the government announces the biggest ever increase in childcare support expanding from 15 to 30 hours for working parents worth from nine months old up to when they start school. With the rollout beginning this week, eligible working parents of two-year-olds can now access 15 hours of free childcare per week. From September 2024, working parents with children agednine months until they start school will benefit from 15 hours of free childcare per week. This will be expanded to 30 hours of free childcare per week for working parentswith children under the age of fivefrom September 2025–saving families an average of £6,900 per year.
That would have meant a world of difference for me if it had been available when I had my kids. The chance to have a career and a family is a game changer. I am grateful that the Conservative government have listened and put this provision in place. Next week I am invited to the Number Ten Policy Unit to discuss other options for childcare which Im really excited to pitch.
Family Hubs
Family hubs bring together different services in a ‘one stop shop’ to make it easier to get the help you and your family need.
They provide a single place to go for face-to-face support and information from a variety of services.
Family hubs make it easier for you to get the support you need, with trained staff on site who work together to help you overcome difficulties you might be facing.
Services will vary, but at the heart of all family hubs are services for families with 0 to 2 year-olds, which give babies a great start for life.
Services could include:
- support for home learning
- parenting classes
- midwifery
- health visiting
- infant feeding advice
- perinatal mental health support.
Family hubs could also help you access other support services that help your family, such as:
- support for your physical and mental health
- housing and debt advice
- youth services
- domestic abuse support
- other services run by charities.
Who are family hubs for?
You can get support from a family hub if you’re:
- a parent or carer of a child aged 0 to 19, or 25 with special educational needs or a disability
- pregnant
- a young person up to the age of 19, or up to 25 for a young person with special educational needs or a disability.
Dear Sarah (and Tina)
Thanks for taking my call this morning to find out more about the delver of the new government programme on Family Hubs.
Im so keen to find out more and to let all the mums in Kingston know more about the new childcare financial support and facilities being made available.
I have read all about the new services and as a previous trustee of Home-Start RKH know first hand the pre-school challenges that some of our families face.
I am DBS checked and am a school governor at Chessington school and previous governor at Sheen Mount and have done much of the AfC training as well as a PGCE at Roehampton College.
I would love to pop over and meet the team and hear all about the wonderful work you do and planning next.
Very kind regards
Helen Edward
And here's the reply - look forward to visiting the site for our new Family Hub soon!
Hello Helen,
Thank you for your email, so nice to hear you are interetested in the Family Hub plans.
We are in the process of packing up Old Malden Children's Centre, so work can start on the building to transform it into the Family Hub.
Sarah Reid is leading on this work and will be able to tell you all about the plans, so I have copied her into this email.
If I can help with anything else, please let me know.
Kind regards
Sarah
https://www.maldenmanor.kingston.sch.uk/parents/childrens-centre-timetables/
